IN THIS ISSUE:
UPCOMING EVENTS

PLEASE NOTE: Due to preparations for the opening of the new House expansion, volunteer information sessions are suspended until mid-2016.

APRIL 9, 2016
House Party! Raise the Roof fundraising gala. CLICK for more information.

JUNE 6, 2016
Save the Date for the 32nd Annual Golf Invitational and 2nd Annual Silicon Valley Challenge Cup. More information to come.
A Message from
We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of generosity and support from Bay Area design community partners and are thankful each has become a part of our Ronald McDonald House at Stanford family. We sincerely appreciate the dedication, effort, and energy invested in creating a home-away-from-home for families with critically ill children.

We express heartfelt thanks to Rhonda Hirata, VP of Marketing at San Francisco Design Center. It was her idea and vision that ignited the initial spark for the project, while her passion and enthusiasm fueled the fire along the way.

Geoffrey De Sousa, Marianne Howatson, Annette Eros, Rhonda Hirata, Beth Martin, Alisa Carroll

Rhonda cultivated the partnership with C&G Media and immediately recruited two extraordinary individuals as design co-chairs, Beth Martin and Geoffrey De Sousa, who quickly became trusted partners and passionate advocates for our mission. Together this remarkable trio effectively recruited four dozen of the area's top designers, guided the entire process, and worked tirelessly to help create something so wonderful even the most optimistic visionaries couldn't have imagined the fabulous results that came to fruition.

We now have what is by far the most beautiful, inviting, and remarkable Ronald McDonald House in the world, and it is all thanks to Rhonda, Beth, Geoffrey, and the 48 designers they inspired to join the effort.

By creating a welcoming space to heal together, our design partners will provide smiles, comfort, and joy to our families for years to come. We are honored that each designer has bestowed individual creativity and commitment to inspire hope and love for our community.

With genuine gratitude,






Annette Eros
CEO, Ronald McDonald House at Stanford
Where Hope Has a Home: Interior Design Tours
Only a Few Days Remain!
This is the final week of Design Tours! As we prepare to transition our families into the new House, we have paused remaining construction activities in order to provide this one-time-only opportunity for the public to tour our new facility and see first-hand the fabulous results of the Where Hope Has a Home design project. Design Tours offer the only opportunity for the public to view family suites and other private spaces before families move in. The new House is a must see, so plan your visit before the tours end on Sunday, February 28.

As a result of our partnership with San Francisco Design Center, together with 48 of the area's top interior designers we have created a welcoming and inviting home-away-from-home that will surround our families with comfort and relief the moment they walk in the door.

We are on the cusp of realizing our vision to be able to accommodate more families with the opening of our expansion just a few short months away.

Where Hope Has a Home: Interior Design Tours of Ronald McDonald House at Stanford continues through February 28, 2016, Thursdays through Mondays (closed Tuesday and Wednesday) from 10 a.m. through 3 p.m. Tours of the new House at 510 Sand Hill Road in Palo Alto (adjacent to the existing facility at 520 Sand Hill Road) will include complete walk-throughs of the 52,000-square-foot space including 67 new family suites and multiple common areas.
 
Design tour guests are encouraged to participate in special events scheduled during their visit at no extra cost. Tickets are $35 per person for attendees 12 and older, with a $10 suggested donation for children under 12. Visit rmhstanford.ejoinme.org/DesignTour for a complete event schedule and to purchase tickets.
 
To purchase group discount tickets for 25 or more, contact Nichole Cilléy at ncilley@rmhstanford.org .

HOUSE Party!
We're making headlines!
The word is out -- the new House expansion is a delight to behold and a testament to the power of generous hearts, talented people, and a remarkable vision. It is amazing what our local design community has created by working together toward a common goal.

Thanks to Where Hope Has a Home -- the year-long collective efforts of 48 designers and San Francisco Design Center, our new House expansion is gaining notice and being appreciated as a masterpiece of design intended to impart comfort and hope to families caring for critically ill children.

We're especially honored that Where Hope Has a Home occupies a cover feature and 30-pages of beautiful photos and designer inspirations in the February issue of one of the country's finest design magazines, San Francisco Cottages & Gardens

Additionally, the project is featured through 10 full pages in San Francisco Design Center's 3D Definitive Design + Decor publication.

Click both links for a sneak peek at our beautiful new House, and be sure join us for an on-site tour of our stunning custom-designed guest rooms and public spaces. The House is even more amazing in person. Where Hope Has a Home: Interior Design Tours are available now through February 28, 2016. Visit rmhstanford.ejoinme.org/DesignTour for a complete event schedule and to purchase tickets.

Click below to access other newsworthy mentions of our House expansion:

Help us move into our new home!
We're moving and we need your help. We are looking for large groups of 20-30 volunteers to help us move into the new expansion. Specific projects include: moving items from our current House to our new House, setting up communal spaces (unpacking and organizing kitchen wares, setting up toys, games, and books in living rooms, etc.) and disinfecting surfaces before families move in. These projects will take place from February to May and are extremely important!

All participants need to be at least 16 years old. Please let us know if anyone in the group has physical restrictions so we work on alternative accommodations.

Email Kristen Chandler  
for more information or to schedule a volunteer date.
Become a part of our House community
SWA
Employees from Southwest Airlines take time to volunteer at the House.
Throughout the year, Ronald McDonald House at Stanford relies on the generosity and kindness of dozens of local companies whose gifts of time and resources ensure families caring for critically ill children can stay and heal together. 

Companies partner with us in a variety of ways including sponsoring one of our signature fundraising events, engaging their employees in volunteerism or fundraising, or donating a portion of proceeds from the sale of products or services.

This May, we will more than double our capacity with the opening of an additional 67 rooms in our new expansion. 

We are thrilled with the impact the expansion will have on those families we have not been able to accommodate due to limited capacity. With this expansion comes an even greater need for support along with new partnership opportunities. 

To learn more about the benefits of becoming a corporate partner of Ronald McDonald House at Stanford and how you can get involved, get involved contact Email Jeff Scanlan, director, strategic partnerships, or call 650.470.6036. 
JOIN US FOR AN EXTRAORDINARY EVENING OF FOOD, FRIENDS, AND FUN!
House Party! Raise the Roof! 
brings together our extended House community for an evening of fun with over-the-top entertainment and a live auction featuring unique and valuable once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Most of all,  House Party! celebrates the expansion of our House and programs that help keep families facing medical crises close.

Sponsorships and seats are available for a limited time.  CLICK for more information and to reserve your space by Friday March 18, 2016. Questions? Email  Tracey Richardson, or call 650.470.6006.

Sharon Tsui - Celebrating Five Years
Sharon Tsui
At Ronald McDonald House at Stanford, every one of our volunteers are invaluable members of our House community, and we are continually grateful for their gifts of time and talent. Together, we celebrate our volunteers' service milestones to honor their dedication and commitment.

This month, we recognize Sharon Tsui, who recently celebrated five years volunteering at the House. A long-time resident of Palo Alto, Sharon has known about the House for as long as she can remember, and once her children -- both former volunteers at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford -- went off to college, Sharon naturally gravitated toward becoming a volunteer herself.

After Sharon completed her volunteer training, she began tackling the enormous task of organizing the House's gift and kitchen pantries, which were overflowing with unsorted items.

This task of sorting, organizing, and labeling was a natural fit for Sharon, an accountant by profession whose job requires creating order out of chaos.

Thanks to Sharon's efforts, the House's pantries -- once disorganized jumbles -- were soon stocked with neatly displayed items on labeled shelves, making it easy for staff, volunteers, and families to find just what they're looking for, be it clothes for a six-month-old girl, a birthday present for a teenage boy, or a replacement kitchen utensil.

"Sharon has been an incredible asset to us," says Monica Makela, volunteer services manager. "Her exceptional organization skills have really saved us all a lot of time and frustration."

Currently, Sharon's volunteer duties focus on the pickup and delivery of dozens of meals provided by McDonald's at Stanford Shopping Center every Friday -- no small feat considering each week's order contains nearly 100 individual meals!

Sharon values her time at the House and is especially grateful for the moments when she can offer a helping hand to families by providing a smile, offering a warm beverage, or translation services.

"Mandarin is my native language and it's always wonderful to be able to help facilitate communication between Mandarin-speaking families and staff," explains Sharon. "For me, volunteering at the House is the best way I know to contribute my talents to help others, and I look forward to being part of the House community for many years to come."
AT RONALD McDONALD HOUSE at STANFORD

There are many ways, large and small, to get involved with Ronald McDonald House at Stanford. We welcome you to join our House community of support by contributing in whatever way you can. 

We rely on the generosity of donors in our community to help provide much-needed funds, goods, and services for critically ill children and families. We welcome donations of new and unused items at the House front office seven days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.  Right now, we have a special need for:
HOUSEWARMING ITEMS

The grand opening of our new House expansion is fast approaching and we need your help to stock the kitchen and pantry for the 67 new families we will welcome in the spring. Visit our Amazon.com and Target.com wishlists  and make a purchase that will help us create a home-like and welcoming environment for families caring for a critically ill child. 

We are especially in need of the following wishlist items to stock our new House:
          • Calphalon Kitchen Essentials 20 piece Utensil & Gadget Set
          • Corelle 16 Piece Square Dinnerware Set - Pure White
          • KitchenAid Professional 5 quart Mixer - Silver
          • Rubbermaid 34 piece Easy Find Lid Set
          • Target Threshold Sherbrook Classic Glass Drinkware Set of 12 - Clear
          • Aroma Digital Rice Cooker - Stainless Steel
          • Ultra Absorbent Microfiber Waffle Kitchen Towel & Dish Cloth Set - Cadet Gray
          • Threshold Pot Holder - Gray
          • Threshold Oven Mitt - Gray
          • Oneida Casaba 20 piece Flatware Set
          • Sterlite Hip Hold Laundry Basket - White
          • Mixing Bowls Set of 6 - Stainless Steel
          • Measuring Cups & Measuring Spoon Set - Stainless Steel
          • OXO Good Grips 15 Piece Everyday Kitchen Tool Set
          • Calphalon Nonstick Bakeware Set
          • Calphalon Nonstick All Purpose Pan
          • Calphalon Nonstick Dutch Oven & Cover
          • Calphalon Nonstick Saucepan
          • Calphalon Nonstick Stockpot Cookware

Also, remember that when you shop with  AmazonSmile, a percentage of qualifying purchases go toward helping support House programs and services. Thank you!

Lunch2Go/Snack2Go
(donations accepted year-round) 

House families often don't have time to sit down and enjoy a healthy lunch or snack. You can help keep busy parents and kids fueled on the go by gathering your friends or coworkers and bagging up some nutritious lunches and portable snacks and delivering them to thankful families at the House. Lunch2Go and Snack2Go are ideal group activities for volunteers under 16 years of age. 

Email  elee@rmhstanford.org  for more information.

To learn more about making a donation or participating in a special volunteer opportunity, please contact  Erica Lee, program coordinator, at  elee@rmhstanford.org, or call 650-470-6011.

*****

*Due to infection control protocols, all donated items must be new and unused, and perishable items must be individually wrapped. 

**Bilingual Spanish/English speaking candidates for all volunteer opportunities are given priority in the application process. The minimum age for volunteering in the House is 16 years of age.
Our Mission:
Ronald McDonald House at Stanford creates a home-away-from-home and supportive community for families of children with life-threatening illnesses receiving specialized treatment at local hospitals.